Program Support Intern

Engagement: Paid internship

Location: Remote

Duration: 6 months

Hours: Full time

Organization Background

The AfricaNenda Foundation is an African-led organization created to accelerate the growth of inclusive instant payment systems (IIPS) that will benefit all Africans, including the poorest and currently financially excluded. AfricaNenda believes that IIPS can be pivotal in creating universal access to financial services for many financially excluded adults in Africa by 2030.

AfricaNenda unlocks untapped opportunities to drive financial inclusion by supporting the build- out or upgrade of inclusive national and regional instant payments infrastructure. This engagement is through firstly providing technical assistance in payment system pre-project design and proofs-of-concepts (POCs) that help create investment-ready scalable inclusive instant payments projects, as well as supporting the implementation. Secondly, strengthening the capacity for and knowledge of inclusive instant payment systems in Africa’s most influential institutions, partnering with the digital financial services ecosystem actors.

AfricaNenda supports policymakers and regulators in Africa to promote policies and regulations that create an enabling environment for the development of inclusive instant payment systems to accelerate financial inclusion and cross-border payments for continental goals like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol on Digital Trade and the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy.

The Foundation brings together experts in digital payments and leaders with regional expertise to support African institutions, governments, and the private sector.

Internship Key Responsibilities

The AfricaNenda Foundation seeks a Program Support Intern, to provide support to the Advocacy and Capacity Development team initiatives:

• Research and analysis
  • Conduct desk research to support team presentations
  • Monitor and track industry trends and advocacy platforms/ moments for leverage
  • Assist in creating materials e.g. presentations, reports, briefs, etc. for advocacy and capacity development initiatives
• Amplification support
  • Support the organization of virtual and physical amplification platforms and capacity development in collaboration with all teams
• Project management and reporting
  • Develop and maintain project tracking tools
  • Ensure timely updates
  • Assist in meeting documentation and follow-up
• Data management and organization
  • Maintain and update stakeholder contact lists for various initiatives
  • Track engagement metrics and stakeholder interactions
• Annual campaign execution
  • Assist in implementing cross-functional campaign activities in collaboration with different teams within AfricaNenda
• Skill development and adaptability
  • Gain hands-on experience in various aspects of project management, advocacy and capacity development
  • Develop flexibility by handling diverse tasks as assigned

Required Skills and Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in project management, business administration, international relations, social sciences, or a related field
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Strong organizational abilities
• Attention to detail and accuracy in data management
• Passionate about financial inclusion, digital payments, or digital financial services
• Self-motivated and proactive with a can-do attitude
• Adaptable and quick learner
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Basic project management skills, familiarity with data analysis and reporting techniques
• Knowledge of social media tools and digital platforms
• Understanding of the digital financial services ecosystem and current industry trends is desirable
• Fluency in additional relevant languages (English plus French/Arabic/Portuguese) is an advantage

Learning Outcomes

• Gain practical experience in DFS, digital payments, inclusive instant payment systems and financial inclusion in Africa
• Develop skills in research, project management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Enhance understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the African digital payments space.